New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-19
A CITY HOME.
THE EXPERIENCES OF A HOUSE HUNTER
Ninth FdDer.

looking three-story and basement house. situated on
pleasant street in good and growing neighborhooi
The owner Of the property with u.s. and Prudence
Interrupted glowing eulogum upon its merits with this
question.
"Wel, no, IL hasn't any cellar, ma'am and II you'll
step inside you'll see that 1t don't need any. THERE'S
plenty of in that house FOR small family without
| cellar"
But 1t isn't question Of room,7 Prudence explained
ats question OF health We wouldn't think of buying
O house without q cellar"
| "Oh, there's no question about the house being
healthy, ma'am 1t stands you see for yourself on
about the highest ground In NewYor The SOIL as I've
told you, can't be beat and I'll the plumbing 70
be No. l. We're not building houses with cellars az
much as used to. Why mott Well, there peopl,
| who don't like them"
| Don't like theml" exclaimed Prudence
Don't like them, ma'am lady to me the other
day to inquire about the houses I'd got to sell told
her what had and the one which seemed TO please her
best didn't have O cellar. In describing the house
mentioned that fact That wouldn't make any differ.
ence, she said, for on the whole I'd prefer house
without cellar Servants are apt TO use cellar as
receptacle for all Of things Whatever they don't
know what to DO with they throw down cellar The
result is that gets Uttered up In time know most
folks think TINT house that doesnthavea cellar extend
ing under the basement and kitchen can't be healthy
But I'm not one Of them. Ny present house is minus
cellar but manage to keep well as orr neghbors
Il
| inside, Mrs. Scudder"
But Prudence begged to be excused Thank you very
uol sir, but 1t really would be Of for to 20
through the house. For however much please
other respects Its having cellar would be fatal OBJ
lection There Of neutrality-suspicious. that
| would readily dispense with, but cellar regard
! one of the essentials OF house Good morning"
| swell, good morning, ma'am" We halfinclincd
to suspect that the antcellar whom the builder
produced corrective Of our own views was simply
an extemporEaton of his gifted imagination But few
days later actually met her. or at least her counter
| part Our attention had been attracted to a house
advertised for sale the - Side Inquire Of the
| owner on the premises" We inquired. The bell was
answered by lady who announced herself the owner
Having inspected and praised the parlor hoor-it was
really very NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. produced her leading
question.
Has IL got a cellari"
at has not"
"Do you not regard the absence Of cellar serious
drawback"
Il do not replied the lady, In decided tones. I
know that the foundation work thoroughly well
done and that the walls which rest upon the foundations
amply protected against the possibility Of dampness
by the and concrete in which they arc embedded
Besides madam, object to cellar because every time
the door leading to 1t is left opensomething as you
know that happens pretty oftenthe raw, dsagreeable
cellar air Is distributed through the upper Stories
Prudence did not tarry to argue the point When We
had regained the street told her that had good
suggestion to give her.
Lots hear 1t, Richard"
asuppose We hire tall, able. bodied man to march in
front Of go house-huntng, holding aoft a
transparency bearing the legend, Give Cellar
give me Death"
81 wouldn't put it as strong as that" answered
Prudence I'd compromise on Give me Cellar or III
take Rheumatism"
The location Of the bathroom was another subecto
no hafu anda NJ hat hal
to dispose OF. For whereas favored bath-roomin
the second story Of the extension which pos
sessed by OF the houses which we Inspected good
many builders and agents claimed that awell-yentated
bathroom in the middle Of the main second story wac
more desirable. We submitted that to place bathroom
In the extension a sanitary precauon-it cut 1t of
from the house proper. Yes" the answer was but
the trouble is that when you raise the window in your
extension air the the door Is apt 10 be
OPEN And the door Is open current Is formed and
the OF the bathroom taken into instead OF out
OF the house The bathroom in the middle OF the house
open this objection and II care is taken in build
ing provide ample shaft leading to the roof thus
securing thorough ventilation, there is 10 reason Wig
II should not give entire satisfaction"
Prudence and I were a good deal amused with the
character OF tho woodwork in certain OF the houses
which we hunted. Some Of 1t made such a desperate
attempt deceive the conadng public Prudence used to
declare she did not how this sort OF woodwork
bore the fearful strain TO which 1t was subjected
Meaning what by fearful strain : " inquired.
WE'LL think OF pine being strained TO make it pass for
cherry and that bogus cherry being expected for
mahogany! / call that subjecting wood to fearful
pressure"
We grew to be suspicious OF brand-new houses which
on inspection proved to be swept garnished papered
and decorated from top bottom They looked hand
some chat, remembering how often beauty is only skin
deep. inclined TO doubt af'er receiving hint or
two from the knowing II they were as good as they
IN no or
deceiyers sham houses whose beautiful wall paper
and irescOes covered multitude OF sins OF the builder
one day while out doing little house-hunting
we met a friend He was an old New-Yorke and on
our mentioning what were doing he shook his head
and remarked:
Now, do go slow. II is easy for inexperienced
people 10 make a serious mistake in buying house IN
this Babel when they are Intelligent and conserv-
alive I verify believe after having had considerable
experience with them that there sharper men on
the continent than those who make 1t business TO buy
and sell real estate In this city And members OF
the brotherhood are not entirely scrupulous-not en-
tlrey. I remember some years ago mentioning toa
most gentlemanly real estate agent with whom was
slightly acquainted that I'd rent house II could find
one that In all respects rsclass. You are in luck,
he replied, in earnest tones Il can show you house
which will simply delight you II is in perfect order
from top bottom and nothing would induce the pres
emit tenants they to remain In the city,
I'd go and the house Immediately II were you, FOL
It sure be snapped mp in short order did as he
suggested, taking my wife with me- And the house
certainly seemed justify all that the agent had said
about It. Nearly all the paper and tasteful and
there wasn't room that didn't look neat pin.
from the house write to the making IN
appolntment with him for the following day. Next
morning. however. fortunately concluded before
signing the lease to take look the premises
This time the tenants at homethey had been ous
when we called the day before. Well good impress
of the wei IA " o
dcpart the man OF the house detained me- Then
turned to his wife and said: Shall tell them !
most certainly would, said She Accordingly no told US
They were moving because they had decided
leave town. for they had not but because they oDect
to having ceilings tumbing about theiI heads one
had fallen already and others seemed on the p9in"